MLB Betting Recap at Bovada
The Los Angeles Dodgers made the biggest news in Major League Baseball last week with a stunning trade (more on that below) and L.A. was also the biggest winner for bettors at the book.
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The game in question was Saturday's home matchup with the Miami Marlins, an 8-2 Dodgers win. Behind ace and reigning NL Cy Young winner Clayton Kershaw, Los Angeles closed as a -210 favorite and took a little more than 93 percent of the action. At minus-1.5 runs (-105), the Dodgers took more than 94 percent of the lean. The total on the game was a miniscule six with Kershaw opposed by Josh Johnson, but bettors hit on that as well with more than 71 percent on the over at -120.
One of the bettors' top player prop wins of the week also came from that game, with Kershaw going over 6.5 strikeouts. Another big prop for players was Atlanta's Jason Heyward homering in Sunday's series finale in San Francisco. It was Heyward's third straight game with a homer vs. the Giants and paid out at +450. The Braves don't visit AT&T Park again in the regular season, but bettors may want to consider wagering on Heyward if the teams meet there in the postseason. In 10 career games at the park, Heyward is hitting .395 with six homers and 12 RBIs.
The top series of the week for bettors was the New York Yankees at -180 taking two of three in Cleveland (+150) over the weekend. The book's top result was Philadelphia (-120) sweeping three at home vs. Washington (-110).
Early-Week Live Betting Preview
There are two games available for live play-by-play at the book on Tuesday: Blue Jays at Yankees and Red Sox at Angels.
Boston clearly has thrown in the towel on the 2012 season after the Red Sox sent first baseman Adrian Gonzalez, outfielder Carl Crawford and pitcher Josh Beckett (also infielder Nick Punto) to the Dodgers in what was essentially the largest salary dump in American sports history. Los Angeles gave up James Loney and two top pitching prospects and is now saddled with nearly $260 million in contracts with those three Red Sox All-Stars.
Crawford won't help Los Angeles this year as he is done for the season after elbow surgery. But Gonzalez fills a gaping hole at first in the Dodger lineup and gives L.A. perhaps the best 3-4-5 lineup punch in the majors in Matt Kemp, Gonzalez and Hanley Ramirez. The Dodgers were 16/1 at Bovada before the deal to win the World Series. Now they are 8/1, tied with Cincinnati as the shortest odds in the NL behind Washington. L.A. jumped to 4/1 to win the NL pennant.
The big trade could also force NL West leader San Francisco to make a deal to counter L.A.'s move. San Francisco has played well since leading hitter Melky Cabrera was suspended for the rest of the season, but a lack of offense is likely to catch up to the team sooner or later. The Giants are 12/1 to win the World Series and now behind the Dodgers at 5/1 to win the pennant.
The Red Sox, meanwhile, are hitting the reset button and they dropped from 66/1 to win the World Series to 100/1 (60/1 to win the AL pennant). It seems a sure thing that manager Bobby Valentine is let go after this season, and David Ortiz may have put on a Red Sox uniform for the last time. The All-Star designated hitter was put back on the disabled list Monday with a right Achilles' strain. Ortiz missed 35 games after he was placed on the DL on July 17 with the injury. He played Friday but felt soreness. Now his season is likely over.
Ortiz was having his best season in years, hitting .318 with 23 home runs and 60 RBIs. Boston is 46-44 in games he has played in and 16-23 without him. Ortiz can become a free agent after this season. The Sox might prefer to get younger and pass on bringing back the 36-year-old Big Papi. Certainly Boston will be very active in free agency this winter with all that cash freed up.
The second game of that Red Sox-Angels series on Wednesday will have live betting, as will Dodgers-Rockies and Cardinals-Pirates. Check back Thursday for a weekend live betting preview at the book.
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